GALVESTON, Texas — A Galveston County Sheriff’s deputy has been relieved of duty after video circulated online showing him tailgating a car and driving dangerously.
The bystander video, which was recorded on Sept. 19, shows the deputy straddling lanes of traffic, “limiting the ability of other motorists to safely pass,” the sheriff’s office said.
| SURVEY RESULTS: What officers want from the technology they use every shift
After a vehicle passed the cruiser, the deputy tailgated that driver at aclose distance, following the driver across lanes and nearly hitting other vehicles, the bystander video shows. The cruiser’s emergency lights were not activated during that portion of the video.
He followed the vehicle for several minutes before turning his lights on and pulling the driver over.
“The conduct demonstrated in the video was inappropriate, unacceptable and inconsistent with the standards expected of every member of the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office. This type of behavior will NOT be tolerated.” Sheriff Jimmy Fullen said in a social media statement.
Fullen stated that the officer had been relieved of his duties and was no longer employed with the sheriff’s office. Fullen did not list an official reason for the officer’s impeding of traffic with emergency lights on at the beginning of the recorded video.
